Light Against Dark
by Han dj
Summary: The ultimate light curse is the answer to eliminate the dark curse in Emma Swan, but as we all know, Magic have a price. And there is nothing simple when it comes to Regina and Emma. SwanQueen Week Day 6: Act of True Love


SwanQueenWeek Day 6: Act of True Love

Tropes and Cliches

The ultimate light curse is the answer to eliminate the dark curse in Emma Swan, but as we all know, Magic have a price. And there is nothing simple when it comes to Regina and Emma.

I suck at writing angst, but the phrase 'act of true love' almost always end up being written in angst, so I'll try, but I won't guarantee that anyone will shed a tear. One shot, T, No beta. No mention of Robin Hood or Zelena.

 **Light Against Dark**

"This is it?" Regina eyed the small bottle of potion that was made by the sorcerer Merlin.

"That's it." Merlin replied with one brow raised, "That-" he continued eyeing the bottle, "-is the ultimate light potion."

"Aha," The brunette witch nodded, silently asking for more information,

"Imagine the death curse," he said and then looked at the now powerless Rumpelstiltskin, then at the worried Snow White and Prince Charming before once again eyeing the ex-evil queen, "...but three times deadly." Everyone winced.

The news of Regina imbibing a curse made from pure pixie dust, a primary source of white or light magic: the death curse, and still lives to tell the story (though she didn't) had spread wide. Though they really didn't paid much attention to the brunette during those time, she could have died and no one would know, even her son Henry.

"Regina imbibed a full dose and she was okay," Snow interrupted which caused Rumpel to roll her eyes.

"That was an unusual phenomenon dearie. Even I did not attempt on doing it because I was sure that curse will kill me, and I _was_ the dark one."

Merlin cleared his throat, "The death curse was made by an aggregation of light magic user before me, using a very large amount of magic to vanquish the dark fairy,"

"The beginning of the Dark One," Rumpel supplied.

"It was termed that because it's sole purpose is to eliminate any and all dark magic that resides within a vessel. Human or not." The white haired sorcerer continued, "As you all have proven, Regina or the Evil Queen isn't made of pure dark magic. Her essence is not fully corrupted."

"That's one reason why the dark curse brought you all to this world, because if Regina was all dark, then there really is no need to curse anyone anywhere, she would have just killed you all." Rumpel explained.

"Okay enough about me, I'm sure Snow and David gets the idea, so this potion, the ultimate light potion-"

"Its the dark curse tweaked to vanquish the darkness of the dark one. The death curse was made for the dark fairy, and the one who got a hold of her power improved the darkness making it immune to the curse, therefore,"

"It was made more powerful." Regina concluded, she sighed, determined. "If I use this on Emma, then what will happen?"

Merlin's expression become dark, "Even her light magic that at this point is almost non-existent cannot fight the potion. It will definitely kill her."

"NO!" Snow and David simultaneously screamed.

"We came here to ask you to save our daughter, not kill her!" David continued.

Silence

Rumpel looked at the gathered people around the marble table. "We have witnessed Emma's power, she almost killed Henry, she's unrepentant in crushing Hook's heart – though I'd give her a thumbs up to that, done the thing I dreamed for a long time – she was hunting you and you're only alive because you have a powerful sorcerer and Regina at your side, she was relentless in converting Regina back to darkness, but that's beside the point, I'd rather see Emma die than have the dark one, this new dark one roam this world." He sighed.

"You're only saying that because you're not the one that's going to die! I sacrificed the purity of my heart to keep you alive and this is how you repay that?" Snow said angry, in tears.

"Regina killed her mother for me to live. All you did was what you always do, talk, manipulate -" Rumpel snarl, "We're not that different Snow, you had played the part of the evil queen perfectly-" and the rest of his rant was interrupted by Charming's fist connecting with the smaller man's jaw.

"ENOUGH!" Regina screamed and eyed the others before looking Merlin in the eye, "There must be another way, I'm not letting Emma die, she became the dark one because of me-" she bit her lower lip when all the Sorcerer did was bow his head.

"No, this cannot be it!" Snow screamed and was about to attack the white sorcerer if not for David's fast reflex.

"David," Regina called out and the man looked at her, "Bring your wife outside, and have Rumpel be taken care of. I... trust me, I won't let Emma die, there is another way."

"I..." he looked at his wife who looked at Regina, "We trust you." The ex- evil queen nodded her head in appreciation of the sentiment. David then dragged Snow out of the war room, and then sent two dwarves to fetch the unconscious form of Rumpelstiltskin.

And then there was that dreaded silence.

"There is another way,"

Merlin lifted his head and his blue eyes met the brown of the Queen, "Yes there is,"

Regina raise one brow, "But magic has a price,"

"Indeed it does, always has."

-0-

Snow White, Prince Charming, the seven dwarves, the Blue Fairy, Tinker Bell, Nova and Merlin are all ready and are situated at the entrance of the town hall. The citizens of Storybrooke are all gathered in a secluded cave protected by Merlin and Regina's power. Regina and the Charmings agreed that the best way for Henry to stay out of trouble is to put the young man to sleep. So on the day that they will meet Emma, Belle and Ruby were tasked to slip a sleeping pills on Henry's hot cocoa... and that is today.

Regina after their meeting with the sorcerer had been held up in the mayor's office. Everyone was locked out and that was three days ago. As promised, the Charmings had left the witch and decided to trust the brunette.

Emma Swan had given the town an ultimatum. Three days ago, after crushing Killian Jone's heart, she told everyone that she will start killing until they surrender three people to her. Snow White, Merlin and Regina. So the war council convened and today, the last day of the Dark One's count down, they will fight. Merlin had agreed to Snow White's tactic, she and the sorcerer will be the decoy, and they will do everything in their power, with the help of those who are brave enough to fight, to delay the dark one from killing anyone else until Regina comes with the perfect solution.

No one knew what the solution was, it was only the witch and the sorcerer who were privy to it. The rest just followed Snow White and Prince Charming's lead to trust the ex- evil queen.

The clock strikes 12 noon, the clear, cloudless sky was suddenly engulfed by darkness and then the most eerie sound erupts.

Emma Swan arrived in a swirl of dark magic and appeared before Snow White who was the only visible one. "Mommy..." Emma called in her low voice, she sounds like she was actually purring.

"Emma, I'm here..."

"Tsk-tsk-tsk," she waved one finger as she strode closer to the smaller woman. She was wearing a long, black, body hugging, velvety dress that almost reminiscent of the evil queen. Her hair was white and put in a tight pony tail. Her eyes dark instead of green. Dark magic crackles on her fingers. "Are you trying to be the sacrificial lamb again? We both know that your history doesn't allow you to be that," she stopped just a few inches from her, she leaned and whispered, "I know they are here..."

She raised her right arm sideways, and then lifted it and along with the motion was one of the dwarves, Doc floating from the ground where he was hiding. "See mommy, I can see them." she then slowly closes her hand and the dwarf clasped his neck as he started gasping for air.

"Emma no," Snow pleaded, her heart in her throat,

"Why not?" and before the dark one continue her strangulation of the dwarf via dark magic, a light one hit her straight to the chest that caused her to let go, and the dwarf sailed off course and hit his back to a large tree a few feet away from the commotion.

"Because I am here as well." Merlin replied and the dark one faced him.

"Finally," then she looked around, "Alright babies, show yourself now. Auntie Emma is not going to hurt you!" she said grinning. And the rest of the group showed themselves. "What? Only... ten of you? The last time I check, Storybrooke has about four hundred citizens, where have they gone to?" she pouted. The brave and able ones had took their stand, ready for any attack.

"Emma, please honey-"

"I am disappointed at all of you!" she screamed after looking around, "Where is Regina? I thought it was clear, I wanted a set! Not just you two!" she said pointing at Snow White and a dark power erupted. It would have hit the woman if not for Blue's power colliding with it. "Oh, the fairy have bite!" she shivered while grinning. "Where. Is. Regina." and then she waved her hand and everyone was hit by the sudden burst of large amount of magic. Blue, Nova and Tink's counter attack was no use and it all threw them off towards the town hall – except for Merlin who's magic dissipates Emma's and kept him standing in his place.

"This has to end Emma, the darkness has consumed you – your light -" he didn't finish because the woman attacked viciously. His reaction to the attack was late as he was caught off guard. Light versus dark, an electrical pulse emitted at the contact of two forces. "This isn't you Emma Swan!" Merlin shouted but all he got was a snarl from the powerful magic wielder.

As the sorcerer kept the dark one busy, one of the fairies attacked the dark one's blind side, so they thought, but Emma's other hand that wasn't busy with Merlin, and holding her dagger was raised and magic flew out of the dagger, connecting with Tinker Bell. The green fairy was thrown hard and away. Nova tried in a different direction along with the Blue fairy, but both fairies failed and one of them, Nova was lying on the ground, unconscious or dead, no one knew. Leroy's scream was the only warning Snow and Charming got when another powerful blast was sent their way.

As Emma was kept busy by Merlin, and as the others, sans the remaining dwarves lay on the ground, unconscious, in pain or both, a swirl of purple mist appeared at Merlin's left and then Regina was revealed as the smoke dissipates.

Correction, it was The Evil Queen, in all her glory. "Missed me?" the sultry voice echoed, sending chills to everyone excluding the two battling magic users. She looked at Snow and David who had their eyes wide and jaw dropping, and the unharmed dwarves shaking in fear. "Pheasants!" she said looking around and grinning at the sight of the fairies down on the ground unconscious. "Oh how I wished I've been the one to have done that."

"Regina," Snow called weakly, "What... we trusted you! We-" Regina just waved her hand and Snow White, her Prince Charming and their dwarves and fairies all vanished. "Now, we are clear of pheasants and noisy royalties-" she turned her focus on Emma and then on Merlin, "One more insect I guess," she grinned, raise one hand and let go of one massive fireball towards the unsuspecting sorcerer.

The fireball hits its intended target, and along with Emma's power, the light magic wielder's magic gave out and he was thrown back, his back and head hitting a tree trunk hard causing him to lose conscious. Then the evil queen faced the dark one. "You know dear, I have always been at odds with the dark one..." she smiled.

Emma grinned as she stepped close to the woman, "It was in my understanding that I was asking for Snow, Merlin and Regina to stop killing all these..." she frowned, "worthless characters." she grinned evilly, "And then you came and remove my mother from the scene. Why do I smell a conspiracy?"

"Emma," she moaned, "Why would you want that sniveling royalty Snow when you'll have me? What used would she be for you?" then she looked at the still unconscious sorcerer, "And the sorcerer is there, unconscious, easy picking."

"I might be the dark one Regina, but I still got my lie detecting power with me. And you know what? It is enhanced along with my magic."

"If that is true, you can always tell if I'm lying to you."

"Where did you send my mother?"

"Jail?"

The dark one smiled and then looked the woman from head to toe. "I can taste your darkness," she grinned. "It almost taste like..."

"An apple?"

Emma grinned again, "Your forbidden fruit. Isn't it much interesting to want something that you can't have?"

"That's what I love about the darkness, there is no such thing as 'can't have'," Regina supplied as she sauntered closer to the dark one. When close, she leaned forward, "My darkness wants you, it never wanted anyone or anything as much as it wants you." she pulled her face away a little and their eyes met, "If you'll have me..." then she held Emma's hands.

"You want my dagger,"

"Yes, but I do not wish to control you."

"It is the truth," Emma said, her lie detector never pinging, "Then why do you want it?"

It was so sudden. One second Emma was asking a question, the next she was gasping and when she looked down she saw her dagger pushed into her chest. Regina's hand closed on the dagger's hilt. "I'm sorry," Regina said as she pulled the woman closer to her. Tears spilling from her eyes. With a heavy heart, her unencumbered hand waved and the small bottle of light potion appeared. Emma cannot see her, no one bears witness as the evil queen uncorked the bottle, put the vial on her mouth and swallowed it. No witnessed but one – Merlin.

It was all an act, Merlin's defeat... it was all staged. A plan he and the ex-evil queen concocted. They have to make the dark one believe that Regina had revert to being the evil queen, and she really have to or else the dark one will sense the light magic. And then he will pretend to be defeated and the queen will seduce the dark one. It will work.

And it did.

Merlin hurriedly stood beside Emma and Regina. The dark one's feature started changing back to it's original one. White/silver hair turned to curly blonde, the gown didn't change but her white skin had become Emma's healthy pink ones. Then the most wonderful of the changes were her eyes... once dark now green.

"Regina... no, the curse -" she mumbled as she slide off the woman. Regina held Emma and guides her down on the ground as she feels the darkness swirl inside her, and then the pain... an excruciating pain. She bit her lips hard drawing blood as she tried to contain it, to not let the woman in her arms see it. "Please..." she begged the sorcerer who nodded.

As soon as Emma was on the ground, the sorcerer kneel and used his magic to heal Emma's wounds. As he was doing this, Regina fell on the ground and silently writhed in pain. She was bent inwards as the potion battles the dark curse inside her.

It didn't take Merlin to heal Emma long, when he was done, the blonde woman opened her eyes and scanned the area. The sorcerer waved his hand and the others who were magicked away by Regina returned and all their eyes were on the reverted Savior.

But the Savior's eyes were on the woman on the ground, writhing, bleeding... "Regina!" Emma called out as she crawled to the woman's side, "Regina, what's happening?" she asked.

A gasp was the answer to her question. It was from her mother, she had the dagger in her hand. There on the dagger was Regina's name, but it's not what made the woman gasp, it was the sight of the dagger slowly melting into dust... starting from the tip. "No," Snow mumbled and then she released the dagger, let it fall on the ground as she hurriedly make way to the woman on the ground in pain. "No, Regina no... this isn't the way..." she looked up at Merlin.

"There is no other way,"

Emma frowned, "What's happening to her?" she asked as she tried to cradle the woman to her, it was a hard task to do but she did. "Regina, what did you do?"

Regina with gritted teeth opened her eyes and saw Emma's green ones, "You... you're back," she smiled, blood on her mouth. From bitten lips, to bleeding gums to whatever organs that were compromised...

"What did you do,"

"No... no more... no more... curse!" she winced and groaned, "Hurts so much... Emma,"

"What did you do!" Emma asked loudly, tears started falling, _no can't saved Regina just to lose her again and she was supposed to be the idiot!_ She looked at the sorcerer who was also crying silently, "What did she do?!"

"There was no other way, to get rid of the dark one's curse, the ultimate light potion must be used."

"And..."

"It's going to kill her!" Snow said crying, David was now kneeling beside her, "It... it was meant for you but she... she..."

"Oh god," Emma's face paled, "That's why she stabbed me... where is the dagger?!" she asked but no one replied. Though she saw them eye it from the ground, and when she saw it she gasped and cried hard, "No..."

The dagger was now nothing but a hilt... and it too was slowly disintegrating.

And then she felt the woman in her arms relaxed. She looked down to find Regina's eyes closed. "Regina," she called and shook the woman lightly.

"Doesn't hurt anymore," the brunette said panting and then she opened her eyes, "Take care of Henry?"

"No, we will take care of him, you know I'll just messed up his meal if you leave him to me! So we'll do the together." Regina nodded.

"I..." she looked up and found the hazy figures around her, "Is Snow here?" she asked.

"Oh Regina..." Emma cried harder, "The two idiots are here,"

"Thank you," she said and that made Snow cry harder on David's chest, "for trusting me... I did it."

"Yes you did, now you have to stand up so we can go back to our son..."

"Emma-"

"He's waiting and if we don't show up soon, he's going to get himself in trouble again! So you have to get up..." No answer. "Regina," she called and shook the woman who had her eyes close once again. "Hey, come on..." nothing. She looked at her parents, "Where's Robin?"

Snow shook her head...

"We need him to kiss Regina, come on guys, maybe..." she looked at Merlin, "Magic him here!"

"Emma,"

"No! Magic him here! She needs him now more than ever! Just get him here! He could kiss her back to us! Come on guys!"

"It's not going to work Emma," Tinker Bell answered this time. She too was crying over her friend's body.

"It will! He's her true love!"

No answer but quiet sobs from the people around. Even the Blue fairy is crying.

"No... nonono, I can't lose her... oh God please..." she suddenly felt hopeless. What would she tell Henry? That his mother chose to die to save her from being the dark one? That there was no other way to do it? That she let it? She promised Regina's happiness, and she was sure dying in her stead is not the happiness Regina was looking for. She cried harder, clinging to the motionless woman below her. "Regina," she called as she leaned and kissed the woman goodbye.

-end- (Just kidding!)

[epilogue]

One month later...

She checked her image on the mirror. She was wearing for the first time her Sheriff uniform. Badge clipped on her chest instead of on her belt loop. She had her blonde hair in a tight pony tail. She looked down and was satisfied with how clean her boots were. Then she eyed the bouquet of roses, Regina's favorite and then smiled. She took the flowers and hollered for her son. Henry is wearing his usual, though he decided to do smart today, it is a special day anyway. One month since the dark one had been vanquished.

And it was thanks to Regina's sacrifice.

"We'll be late, your mom hates it when we are late."

"You know Ma, you're the one who's always late, I just happened to be a tag along."

"Oh yeah, then who finished first today?"

Henry raise his hand in surrender, "Okay okay I'm late." He said smiling, "Let's go?"

"Yeah let's," They smiled at each other and then together, they left 108 Mifflin street.

-0-

They arrived ten minutes late. Emma held the flowers in her hand and Henry – a card he made especially for his mom. They smiled when they found Snow White and David with Neal there already waiting.

"You're late," Snow said grinning, "You'll never hear the end of it you know,"

Emma laughed, "I know," she took a deep breath, "You think I should let Henry go in first? I doubt she'll have a fit if it's Henry she first see."

David shook his head, "I doubt she'll have a fit either way. Besides, she just woke up from coma, she'll be busy taking inventory of her body before thinking of you being late." he grinned, "And you clean quite well." he added cheekily.

Emma nodded her head, "Too bad only one visitor allowed in huh?"

"Yes Ma, so will you go in now? Besides I'm hungry, I'd take gramps and grams to the cafeteria."

"All right, don't eat too much junk though. We are going to tell your mom you were eating nutritious food while she's out!"

"Yeah yeah!" The young man said before shoving his birth mother towards the ICU door.

It instantly open and Dr. Whale greeted her, "The nurses are just checking her vitals so we can proceed on releasing her to her room. 3305."

"Thank you Whale," she said smiling sheepishly. She didn't forget the terror she did in this town while being the dark one. She didn't forget how callous she was as she tore Hook's heart from his chest and crushed it in her hand. She can't forget the image of Regina taking the darkness from her... sometimes, she still feel the dagger going through her chest, but nothing compares to the memory of the pain when Regina died in her arms.

Act of true love... Henry, Snow, David and the rest of the citizen calls it.

It was not Robin who brought the woman back, it was her. She sacrificed her lightness for Regina, and then Regina sacrificed her life for her. There was no greater proof of true love than that.

It took the nurse a whole ten minutes to finish a full physical examination before she was allowed to enter the cubicle where Regina was lying. She knocked on the glass door that caught the woman's attention. A smile bloomed on the dark haired woman and that made the blonde move. She hurriedly went in, placed the bouquet of roses on the side table and then stepped beside Regina, leaned and hugged her.

"Emma-"

"Damn it Regina!" She said as she started crying, "Don't do that again!" she buried her face on the woman's shoulder, "Don't ever ever do that again!"

"Ms. Swan, if you don't ease up I might." Regina tried to joke but stopped when the woman sobbed. "Hey, I'm fine."

Emma pulled away and looked at her, "You were not, you died!"

Regina smiled, "And someone brought me back," she grinned, "And I heard those nurses talking, it was not Robin who kissed me back to life." she watched the blonde nod her head and then she wiped her tears. "Thank you,"

"What the hell was that?"

"You brought me back..."

"You died for me, remember? Know what, I really though I was the idiot in this relationship."

The brunette raised her eyebrow, "Relationship?"

"Yeah, don't you deny it Regina. We are both idiots, Henry said that too. We were both sacrificed ourselves for each other without thinking about what Henry thinks about it."

The mayor nodded her head.

"It's official now,"

"Hm? That we are together?"

"Aside from that," Emma grinned, "It's official that you are now a hero."

The usual eye roll presents itself, "Spare me that thought. I'm not and will never be a hero."

Emma smiled, "Well you are to me,"

The brunette playfully hit Emma's arm, and then her hand landed on it and started an up and down movement, "This uniform looks good on you."

That earned her a laugh, "I know, that's why I wore it. I thought you'd like that the first thing you'll see when you wake up is me in uniform."

"Indeed."

Silence

"So what now?" Emma asked.

"True love huh?"

"Yeah," The blonde scooted closer to Regina's head, "Aren't you curious?"

"About?"

"The kiss?" she grinned.

"Should I be?"

"Yeah, you should."

The brunette smiled, "And how do you think we can remedy that?"

Green met Brown and Emma leaned and connect her lips on the other woman. When they pulled apart, "What do you say?"

"I don't think I got the message," Regina grinned.

"Oh," and Emma leaned again.

-END-


End file.
